Scrapping of Berlin swimming day for Black children becomes latest in long list of race-linked pool rows
Plans for an exclusive swimming session for Black children at a Berlin public pool were canceled following backlash from right-wing politicians and online harassment. The incident highlights ongoing tensions in Germany regarding race, public space, and the concept of 'safe spaces'.
Why it matters
The controversy underscores the polarized debate in Europe over identity politics and the role of public institutions in addressing social exclusion.
Berlin’s Volksbühne theatre said it had extended the invitation in the hope of dismantling some of the barriers that kept Black children away from the pool./Getty Images Berlin’s Volksbühne theatre said it had extended the invitation in the hope of dismantling some of the barriers that kept Black children away from the pool./Getty Images Germany Scrapping of Berlin swimming day for Black children becomes latest in long list of race-linked pool rows Rightwing voices seize on plans to offer Black children an exclusive afternoon at an outdoor pool in the German capital
Ashifa Kassam European community affairs correspondent Mon 24 Aug 2026 00.00 EDT Last modified on Mon 24 Aug 2026 00.14 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google It was meant to be an outing for Black children in Berlin and their families, offering them an exclusive afternoon at an outdoor pool set up by a local theatre.
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